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Just found out about this last night. It made me feel sufficiently peeved to share with yoiu guys. See what you think.

So an expat wife has a child with special needs. She decides to try to set up a shcool for similarly disabled kids here. Bearing in mind 99% would be local [you know. the ones that are carefully hidden away and not acknowledged].

Everything was sorted. At the final hurdle, she was told that she needed a local sponsor. After 6 months of trying, she has had to give up the whole idea. No local interest at all.

Expat idea, expat VOLUNTEERS running, local kids helped.............

I'd be interested to hear your thoughts on this one.

Well that is quite sad. But I think her best bet would be to find another local who is in a similar situation. Maybe look in certain hospitals or something.

Pretty lame. I have noticed there is no consideration given in the building/construction for elderly or disabled as well. No hand rails on stairs, the ramps leading into buildings are only for deliveries, etc. (too steep or non-existant).

I can't believe there was no local interest in this project. There must be nationals with phyiscally/mentally disabled kids.

The govt set one up called Al Noor. http://www.alnooruae.org/
Tell her she may volunteer there.

I have wondered about that as well...I think in all the years I have seen maybe 5 kids with Down Syndrome but that's about it....hardly see anyone in a wheelchair either....and the only really old people I see when we're out in the desert, in the small villages or when we are off roading and you get to some random houses....I remember seeing a partly paralysed? boy once... they all come out of their houses, wanting to talk and get their pic taken, we took the boy on one of our quad bikes...
Anyway...must be a taboo surrounding it all....just like it was back in Europe about 50 years ago....

Hmm contrary to the popular opinion here, I've seen a lot of special kids in this part of dubai. I've seen a good number of families that take their special kids out side for a walk along the creek side park. Perhaps these are not the super rich class, but sure there were locals in them. Even last week at dsf i'd seen couple of kids attending a comedy show. And it was nice of the tricksters/comedians to give special attention to them.
Having said that, there are lot more indians, pakisthanis and other nationalities living here and may b these families n their societies(the non existant middle class in dubai) are more open to it.